Travel question: What are our rights in case of theft after a flight delay?

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A bag was stolen after a hold-up on the way to Orlando, passport and all (Bill Dickinson)

Q My father booked flights from Geneva to Orlando to travel this weekend. His flight from Geneva was delayed and so he missed his connecting flight. He agreed to (terrible) replacement flights home to Orlando, but whilst he was waiting in the airport to sort out a hotel, his backpack was stolen with his passport. He will obviously spend several days sorting out a new document.

The airline now says it won’t help him with new flights as his passport was stolen after he agreed to the originally rearranged flights. What are his rights?

Name withheld